SINGAPORE: Shell declares force majeure in Bukom

Shell has declared force majeure on base chemical products, effective 1 Dec., due to “a technical issue with the ethylene cracker complex” at Pulau Bukom, Singapore.

 

Shell recently finished its “largest-ever petrochemicals investment,” increasing olefins and aromatics capacity on Bukom “by more than 20 %”. Prior to that investment, the company said the complex had the capacity to produce 800,000 t/y of ethylene, 450,000 t/y of propylene, 155,000 t/y of butadiene and 230,000 t/y of benzene.

A Shell spokeswoman confirmed to “PetroChemical News” (PCN) the cracker now has over 1-million t/y of ethylene capacity. Shell said its manufacturing and supply chain teams are working to resume normal operations and supply as soon as possible.

On 19 Oct. 2015, the company lifted a force majeure on base chemical products caused by a 14 Oct. “operational upset” at Pulau Bukom.

Source: Weekly “PetroChemical News”, Durham, NC, USA; 7 Dec 2015
(Syed Rashid Ali, Karachi, Pakistan)